Voorheesville, New York

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Voorheesville, New York
settlement_type = Village
nickname =
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pushpin_map_caption =Location within the state of New York
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New York
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Albany
government_footnotes =
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unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 5.5
area_land_km2 = 5.5
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 2.1
area_land_sq_mi = 2.1
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 2705
population_density_km2 = 489.4
population_density_sq_mi = 1267.6

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 103
elevation_ft = 338
latd = 42 |latm = 38 |lats = 59 |latNS = N
longd = 73 |longm = 55 |longs = 45 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 12186
area_code = 518
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 36-77684
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0968604
website =
footnotes =

Voorheesville is a village in Albany County, New York, United States. The population was 2,705 at the 2000 census. The village is named after a railroad attorney, Alonzo B. Voorhees.

The Village of Voorheesville is by the north town line of the Town of New Scotland.

History

The area was settled by farmers sent by the Rennselaer family. In the 19th Century, their descendants rebelled against the patroon system, fomenting a Rent War.

In 1864, two railroads were built through the Town of New Scotland, headed west from the Hudson River, both trying to find a way around the Helderberg Mountains. The Albany and Susquehanna line and the New York, West Shore and Buffalo railroads crossed one another in a farm field. Subsequently a village grew up around the crossroad and in 1899 the Village of Voorheesville, named for the aforementioned railroad attorney, was incorporated. These railroads crossed at South and North Main, and for a significant period of time there was a passenger train that came through Voorheesville. Voorheesville for several years in its early days (it was originally referred to as Union Depot before being named after Alonzo B. Voorhees) was somewhat of a tourist attraction. The village boasted a hotel, the Friars Grove Hotel, located right across Grove Street from the train station. Just next to the hotel was a brick oven bakery, and further up Grove was a cider mill. The mill was bought out by Duffy Mott and Mott's Cider before eventually closing. The village also claimed the renowned Harris House, a tavern and hotel for the "weary traveler", a foundry that closed after a fire whose remnants still stand today, and Vly Creek (which runs through the entire village before connecting to the Normanskill Creek in Guilderland) was damed up near the present day elementary school as a swimming hole. Finally until 2003/2004, the village railroad crossing was unique only like one other location in the United States in that four different sets of railroad tracks ran through the village and crossed at one point. The double tracked CSX line is still frequently used, while the remains of the Albany/Susquehanna line and the Westshore lines remained unused. Then in 2003 and 2004 the Albany Susquehanna line was torn up, leaving the crossing to be only a part of history.

Education

This school was selected as a blue ribbon school of distinction in the early 90's.Since then, Newsweek has rated the local high school, Clayton A. Bouton Jr./Sr. High School, #395, out of the top 1300 in the country. The school system is relatively small, with graduating classes ranging between 100-130 students, on average. Clayton A. Bouton Jr./Sr. High School contains grades 6-12, following an addition that was completed in 2003. The building renovation added a new middle school wing and an updated performing arts center. The Voorheesville Elementary School, which is about a five minute drive from the high school, provides education for grades K-5.

Voorheesville's two schools service the village itself, most parts of the Town of New Scotland and the Village of Slingerlands, with some students coming from the outskirts of the Town of Guilderland, Town of Bethlehem, and Village of Altamont.

Athletics at Voorheesville high school include boys and girls tennis, cross country, soccer, track, basketball, swimming (teamed together with neighboring Guilderland Highschool), and volleyball. Single sex sports include softball, baseball, and football. Co-ed sports are cheerleading, wrestling, bowling, and golf. Their mascot is the Blackbird and they claim three NYSPHSAA titles with Boys Soccer in 1990, and Girls Basketball in 1998 and 2002. In the 2002-2003 school year a brand new gymnasium was opened that seats roughly 500 with the unique aspect of bleachers only on the south side of the gymnasium. That fall also saw brand new soccer and football fields opened along with the school's first running track. The football field was dedicated to former coach and player Tom Buckley who died in the mid 1980's. Just a quarter mile down Route 85 A lie additional practice soccer fields as well as another baseball field, collectively known as the satellite fields. Voorheesville's student body is very active in supporting its teams despite its relatively small numbers. The "Birdcage" is often found at boys basketball games loudly supporting the team. Voorheesville competes in Classes B, CC, C, and D depending on the sport.

Clayton A. Bouton offers a variety of clubs and activities including Model United Nations, Envirothon, Ski Club, Mock Trial, SADD, National History Club, Student Government, Torch (yearbook), The Helderbarker (school newspaper), Builders Club (affiliated with the New Scotland Kiwanis), and National Honor Society . Their fine arts department is also considered among the best in the capital region, with NYSMA award winning band and chorus groups, male and female a capella choir groups, and a jazz band which requires admission through tryouts. The school also boasts a strong tradition in Drama Club; the Voorheesville Dionysians puts on an annual Shakespeare production in the fall and a musical in the spring, nearly always producing outstanding performances.

* [http://vcsd.neric.org/ Voorheesville Central Schools] , A Commitment to Excellence with a Tradition of Quality
* [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8759025/site/newsweek/page/3/] , Clayton A. Bouton High School Ranked by Newsweek
* [http://www.uhls.org/voorheesville/ Voorheesville Public Library] , 51 School Road

External links

* [http://www.voorheesville.net Voorheesville, NY]
* [http://www.uhls.org/niche/VoOnline.htm Voorheesville information]